Increasing Migrant Crossings Through Dangerous Darien Gap to Reach the US

On February 6, 2025, ChatGPT, a widely-used artificial intelligence tool developed by OpenAI, experienced a significant global outage, leaving millions of users unable to access the service. Many users took to social media platform X, reporting difficulties in logging in and receiving unresponsive commands from the AI, indicating the issue was widespread across various countries. According to Downdetector, a website that tracks online outages, there was a notable spike in complaints related to ChatGPT, with nearly 90 percent of users reporting problems with both the app and the website. While service has reportedly been restored, the outage has prompted users to express their frustrations, sharing humorous anecdotes and memes about the experience. This incident is not isolated; ChatGPT faced similar disruptions on January 23, 2025, when it was also inaccessible to users. As of now, OpenAI has not issued an official statement regarding the cause or scope of the recent outage.

India is facing significant backlash after a video surfaced showing the US Border Patrol deporting 104 Indian migrants while shackled and handcuffed. The footage, shared by USBP Chief Michael W. Banks, depicted the migrants being loaded onto a military transport plane under distressing circumstances. Banks claimed this represented the "farthest deportation flight yet" and served as a warning against illegal crossings into the United States. The migrants, many from Punjab, recounted harrowing experiences of paying agents large sums of money for illegal passage to the US, only to face perilous treks through South America. Jaspal Singh, one deported individual, stated he paid around ₹30 lakh (approximately $36,000) for a failed journey that exposed him to life-threatening situations. In response to the government's handling of the deportations, opposition leaders, including Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, criticized the inhumane treatment and demanded a parliamentary discussion. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is set to make a statement on the issue. Sources indicate the Indian government is considering a new law aimed at ensuring migrants' safety.

On February 6, 2025, a US military aircraft transporting 104 illegal immigrants landed in Amritsar, India, marking a significant deportation effort by the Trump administration. Jaspal Singh, one of the deportees, reported that their hands and legs were cuffed throughout the flight and they were only unchained upon arrival. Singh, who had reportedly paid around 30 lakh Indian Rupees (approximately $36,000) to a travel agent for a legal entry into the US, was instead defrauded and forced to undertake an illegal crossing. Singh detailed the treacherous journey that took him through multiple countries in Latin America before he was apprehended by the US Border Patrol. He recounted enduring significant hardships, including a lack of food and constant danger. "If anybody got injured, he was left to die," he stated. Other deportees echoed similar sentiments about their dangerous travels and the disillusionment of dreams for a better future being shattered. The deportees were initially questioned by various local authorities upon their return to ensure their lack of criminal records.